Every home purchase hits a few snags. You'll have a much better chance of completing the sale on time if you're familiar with these common closing problems and how to resolve them.

Here are a few of the most common:

ü The seller wants you to raise your offering price.

Raise the price if your comparative market analysis (CMA) warrants it.
Show your CMA, to the seller to justify your original offer. Raise the price if the seller agrees to cover a greater portion of the closing costs. Stick to your original offer but withdraw your request that the seller pay for needed repairs or some other expense.


ü The appraisal indicates you're paying too much.

Fight the lowball appraisal to get the loan you need to close.
Use the low appraisal as a negotiating tool to bring down the seller's asking price.


ü The seller doesn't want to pay for needed repairs.

Show the seller your appraisal and inspection reports to justify your request.
Offer to pay for the repairs if the seller will reduce the sales price accordingly.
Share repair costs (only if other alternatives don't work).
Accept the home "as is" (only if other alternatives don't work).


ü The seller needs more time before sale can close.

If you can't adjust your closing date, stick to the date you originally suggested but agree to rent the property back to the seller for a month or two after the sale closes.


ü The seller wants to close sooner than you do.

This is a common problem for buyers who must sell their current home to get the money needed to buy a new one. Explain your problem and the seller may agree to wait. You may be able to get a short-term bridge loan or other interim financing to close the deal and replace it with a conventional mortgage after you sell your current home.